CV4ME

Resume & CV Strategy

Resume Dates That Don't Break ATS: Month/Year Formatting Rules

10 min read
By Maya Rodriguez
Resume employment history section showing proper date formatting that parses correctly through ATS

Why Date Formatting Breaks More Resumes Than You Think

I reviewed a resume last week where a candidate showed 8 years of experience—but ATS parsed it as 8 separate 1-month jobs.

The problem? Date formatting.

The candidate used: 2/15/2018 - 6/30/2023. ATS read this as: February 15th (no year), dash, June 30th (no year). It couldn't parse tenure, couldn't calculate experience, couldn't build a coherent timeline.

Date formatting isn't cosmetic. It's structural. Get it wrong and ATS can't process your work history, even if everything else is perfect. To understand why formatting matters so much, see our ATS Logic for Professionals guide.

Here's the exact format that works—and how to handle overlaps, promotions, and contract work without breaking ATS.

The Standard Format: Month Year (No Day)

Use this format:

January 2023 - Present
Jan 2023 - Dec 2025
March 2020 - February 2023

Why this works:

✅ATS systems recognize 'Month Year' pattern
✅No ambiguity (US vs international date formats)
✅Human-readable
✅No precision questions (exact days are irrelevant)
✅Calculates tenure correctly

Avoid these formats:

❌MM/DD/YYYY (2/15/2023) — Ambiguous internationally, poor ATS parsing
❌DD/MM/YYYY (15/2/2023) — US vs UK confusion
❌YYYY-MM-DD (2023-02-15) — ISO format, awkward to read
❌Month Day, Year (February 15, 2023) — Unnecessary precision
❌Season Year (Spring 2023) — Too vague, can't calculate tenure

Full Month Names vs. Abbreviations

Both work. Choose one and stay consistent.

Full Month Names

Software Engineer
Acme Corp | January 2023 - Present

Pros:

✅More formal
✅No confusion (June vs July)
✅Slightly more ATS-friendly (some parsers struggle with abbreviations)

Cons:

⚠️Takes more horizontal space
⚠️Can make lines wrap awkwardly

Abbreviated Month Names

Software Engineer
Acme Corp | Jan 2023 - Present

Pros:

✅Space-efficient
✅Clean visual
✅Still ATS-friendly

Cons:

⚠️Slightly less formal
⚠️May/Jun can be confused at glance

My recommendation: Use full month names for senior/executive resumes, abbreviated for mid-level and below. Either way, never mix formats.

Current Position: How to Show "Present"

Use: Month Year - Present

Examples:

Senior Product Manager
Tech Inc | March 2023 - Present

Consultant
Freelance | January 2024 - Present

Why "Present" is best:

✅Universally recognized
✅ATS systems parse it correctly
✅Signals you're still employed
✅No ambiguity

Avoid:

❌"Current" — Less standard, some ATS systems miss it
❌"Now" — Too casual
❌Blank end date — Looks like incomplete data entry
❌"Ongoing" — Ambiguous
❌Actual current date — Looks stale after 1 month

Special case: If you have an expected end date (contract ending soon), you can use:

Contract Product Manager (3-month engagement)
Agency Co | January 2026 - March 2026 (Expected)

This signals intentional short tenure.

Handling Promotions: Two Approaches

Approach 1: Grouped Under Company (Recommended for Multiple Promotions)

ACME CORPORATION | Austin, TX
January 2020 - Present

Senior Software Engineer | March 2023 - Present
- Led team of 5 engineers...
- Shipped 12 major features...

Software Engineer | June 2021 - February 2023
- Reduced latency by 40%...
- Implemented CI/CD pipeline...

Junior Software Engineer | January 2020 - May 2021
- Built 5 microservices...

Pros:

✅Shows company loyalty (continuous employment)
✅Emphasizes progression within one org
✅Clean visual hierarchy
✅ATS parses company + overall tenure correctly

Cons:

⚠️Less emphasis on individual role tenure
⚠️Can look cluttered if many promotions

Approach 2: Separate Entries (Recommended for 1-2 Promotions or Emphasis)

Senior Software Engineer
Acme Corporation | Austin, TX | March 2023 - Present
- Led team of 5 engineers...

Software Engineer
Acme Corporation | Austin, TX | June 2021 - February 2023
- Reduced latency by 40%...

Junior Software Engineer
Acme Corporation | Austin, TX | January 2020 - May 2021
- Built 5 microservices...

Pros:

✅Each role gets equal visual weight
✅Tenure per role is immediately clear
✅Works better if promotions are major (IC to Manager)
✅ATS treats each as separate position (can help keyword matching)

Cons:

⚠️Repetitive company name
⚠️Takes more vertical space
⚠️Can look like job-hopping if dates aren't carefully formatted

Both approaches work. Choose based on:

  • Grouped: You want to emphasize company loyalty, you have 3+ promotions
  • Separate: You want to emphasize role-level achievements, you have 1-2 promotions, or the promotion was significant (IC to Manager)

Overlapping Jobs: How to Format Correctly

The scenario: You're consulting part-time while working full-time. Or you started a side project before leaving your job.

Format honestly—show the overlap:

Freelance Design Consultant
Self-Employed | January 2024 - Present
- 10-15 hours/week client work...

Senior Product Designer
Tech Corp | March 2022 - Present
- Lead designer for flagship product...

Why overlaps are okay:

✅ATS systems handle overlapping dates
✅Recruiters expect side work/consulting
✅Shows initiative and relevance
✅Hiding overlaps looks like you're covering gaps

When to clarify:

If the overlap might seem like a conflict of interest, add context:

Freelance Design Consultant (Evenings/Weekends)
Self-Employed | January 2024 - Present

Never do this:

❌Fudge dates to hide overlap ("Jan 2024 - Dec 2024" when it's still ongoing)
❌Leave current job off resume to avoid showing overlap
❌Use vague date ranges ("2024") to obscure overlap

Overlaps are normal. Dishonesty about them is a red flag.

Short-Term Contracts and Project Work

Format: Include role descriptor that signals intentional short tenure.

Product Manager (6-month contract)
Startup Co | January 2025 - June 2025
- Launched MVP for Series A fundraising...

UX Designer (Project-based)
Agency LLC | March 2024 - May 2024
- Redesigned checkout flow (3-month engagement)...

Why this matters:

Without context, short tenures look like:

❌Poor performance (fired)
❌Job-hopping
❌Instability

With context, they signal:

✅Specialized expertise (brought in for specific projects)
✅Flexibility
✅Intentional career choices

Common Date Formatting Mistakes

Mistake 1: Inconsistent Formatting

Wrong:

Senior Engineer
Tech Co | Jan 2023 - Present

Engineer
Startup Inc | January 2020 - December 2022

Junior Developer
Old Corp | 03/2018 - 12/2019

Right:

Senior Engineer
Tech Co | Jan 2023 - Present

Engineer
Startup Inc | Jan 2020 - Dec 2022

Junior Developer
Old Corp | Mar 2018 - Dec 2019

Rule: Pick one format and use it everywhere. Inconsistency signals lack of attention to detail.

Mistake 2: Including Days

Wrong:

March 15, 2023 - June 30, 2025

Right:

March 2023 - June 2025

Why skip days?

⚠️Adds no value for screening decisions
⚠️Creates questions ("Why did they leave mid-month?")
⚠️Makes short tenures more obvious ("Only 2 months and 15 days")
⚠️Standard is Month/Year—deviating signals unfamiliarity

Mistake 3: Using Numeric Months

Wrong:

03/2023 - 06/2025
2023/03 - 2025/06

Right:

March 2023 - June 2025
Mar 2023 - Jun 2025

Why?

❌Ambiguous internationally (03/06 = March 6 or June 3?)
❌Less human-readable
❌Some ATS systems struggle with numeric-only dates
❌Looks informal/lazy

Mistake 4: Seasons Instead of Months

Wrong:

Summer 2023 - Fall 2025

Right:

June 2023 - October 2025

Why seasons don't work:

❌Too vague (Summer = June? July? August?)
❌ATS can't calculate tenure
❌Looks like you're hiding something (short tenure?)
❌Unprofessional for standard employment

Exception: Academic positions sometimes use academic year terms (Fall 2023, Spring 2024). Even then, months are safer.

Mistake 5: Blank or Missing End Dates

Wrong:

Software Engineer
Tech Co | January 2023 -

Right:

Software Engineer
Tech Co | January 2023 - Present

Why blank dates fail:

❌Looks like incomplete data entry
❌ATS may flag as parsing error
❌Recruiter doesn't know if you're still there or forgot to update
❌Unprofessional

Special Cases and Edge Scenarios

Employment Gaps

Format gaps honestly with month/year precision:

Software Engineer
Acme Corp | March 2022 - August 2024

(Gap: September 2024 - February 2025)

Software Engineer
New Co | March 2025 - Present

Or skip the gap line and let dates speak:

Software Engineer
Acme Corp | March 2022 - August 2024

Software Engineer
New Co | March 2025 - Present

Gaps at month level are visible but not emphasized. If you have a legitimate reason (sabbatical, caregiving, education), consider adding a brief entry:

Career Break (Family caregiving)
September 2024 - February 2025

Concurrent Roles at Same Company

Scenario: You're both an IC and a manager (transition period).

TECH CORP | Austin, TX
March 2020 - Present

Engineering Manager | June 2024 - Present
- Managing team of 8 engineers...

Senior Engineer | March 2020 - Present
- Continuing IC work (30% time)...

This shows you're transitioning roles without fully leaving IC work behind. Honest and clear.

Returning to a Previous Employer (Boomerang)

Format as two separate entries:

Senior Product Manager
Acme Corp | January 2024 - Present
- Returned to lead new product line...

Product Manager
Acme Corp | June 2019 - December 2021
- Launched 3 major features...

Don't combine the date ranges (June 2019 - Present) if there was a gap. That's misleading.

The Date Formatting Checklist

Before you submit, verify:

✅All dates use Month Year format (no days)
✅Format is consistent throughout (all full month names OR all abbreviated)
✅Current position shows "Present" (not blank, not "Current")
✅Promotions are clearly formatted (grouped or separate, not ambiguous)
✅Overlapping roles show accurate dates (no hiding overlaps)
✅Short-term contracts include descriptor ("Contract", "Project-based")
✅No numeric-only dates (03/2023)
✅No seasons (Summer 2023)
✅Dates align visually (right-aligned or consistent placement)

Frequently Asked Questions

What date format should I use on my resume?

Use Month Year format: "January 2023 - Present" or "Jan 2023 - Present". This parses correctly through ATS and is human-readable. Avoid: MM/DD/YYYY (ambiguous internationally), YYYY-MM-DD (awkward to read), full dates with days (unnecessary precision).

Should I use full month names or abbreviations on my resume?

Both work, but be consistent throughout. "January 2023 - December 2025" or "Jan 2023 - Dec 2025". Never mix formats. Abbreviated months save space and are equally ATS-friendly.

How do I show overlapping jobs on my resume?

List each position separately with accurate dates, even if they overlap. Example: "Consultant at Agency A (Mar 2023 - Present)" and "Freelance Designer (Jan 2023 - Present)". ATS handles overlaps. Hiding them looks like you're covering gaps.

How do I format promotions on my resume?

Two approaches work: (1) Company header with date range, then each role with specific dates underneath. (2) Separate entries for each role with company name repeated. Both parse correctly. Choose based on space and emphasis preferences.

Should I include exact days in resume dates?

No. Use Month/Year only. Exact days (January 15, 2023) add no value for screening and can raise questions about short tenures. Month/Year is the standard and gives appropriate precision without over-specificity.

Get your dates formatted correctly—and the rest of your resume working

Final Thoughts

Date formatting is one of those invisible resume elements that only gets noticed when it's wrong—and when it's wrong, it breaks everything.

Use Month Year format. Be consistent. Show "Present" for current roles. Format promotions clearly. Don't hide overlaps.

Get dates right and ATS can process your work history. Get them wrong and your 8 years of experience becomes unreadable garbage.

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resume-formattingats-compliancedate-formattingemployment-history

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